SUSTAINABILITY
saying that, as a business, MKM is spearheading a range of initiatives to strengthen sustainability right across the nationwide branch network. These include adding CNG trucks to the delivery fleet, moving to electric fork lift trucks and investing in solar PV panels at a number of branches nationwide to minimise reliance on the grid. “Ultimately, the newly introduced plastic packaging tax is a
clear statement of intent from the government that it is taking its commitment to tackling waste seriously, but it is only a starting point. “As Construct Zero Business Champions we are very aware that the
whole sector must work in partnership, right across the supply chain, to reduce our environmental impact and improve sustainability,” she says.
Action on climate change
2050 and even 2030, may seem a long way off, but, as Craig Williamson, director, commercial cement, CEMEX UK says, there is a huge task head in terms of climate action. “To drive us and help us to support our customers, our ‘Future in Action’ ESG strategy is relentlessly focussed on defining a new era of responsible business for positive change across the supply chain. It is highly complex, but change can be accelerated if we think and act like it’s 2050 every day,” he says. Based on the principles of the Circular Economy, Cemex’s pathway to waste reduction and carbon neutrality starts inside our the operations, he says. “By 2030, our main objective is to maximise the use of waste within our plants. Globally, during 2021, we managed close to 23 million tons of waste and non-recyclable by-products, which is over 57 times more waste than we sent to landfill.
“The newly
introduced plastic packaging tax is a clear statement of intent from the government that it is taking its commitment to tackling waste seriously.”
“As we concentrate on reducing our carbon emissions to achieve
our 2030 goals, we increasingly look at alternative fuels, instead of regular fossil fuels, how to reduce the clinker factor in our cement, optimise thermal efficiency in our kilns and use decarbonated raw materials. Overall benefits are seen in reduced CO2 emissions in our cement manufacturing process, alternative fuels helping to counteract pollution, and a significant decrease in the amount of waste deposited in landfills.”
The company’s Rugby cement plant has just seen the completion of a significant investment in a new industry-leading alternative fuel facility, which will eliminate fossil fuel usage to operate on 100% alternative fuels. The expected carbon saving is equivalent to the annual emissions of more than 135,000 cars.
Williamson says: “Clearly today the smallest changes in process can have the biggest impact over time. We view it a critical success factor to help drive, support and embed carbon reduction efforts across the supply chain, through a dedicated and joined-up approach to delivering sustainable products and services. We will have a far greater impact if we are all pulling in the same direction.
“In May 2022, we announced an ambitious goal for our VERTUA family of low-carbon cement and concrete products to achieve more than half of all CEMEX cement and concrete sales by 2025. Whilst reducing our own carbon impact operationally and through the supply of low-carbon VERTUA products, we are fully supportive of the journey our merchants and distributors are on too.”
Here too, the impact of the UK’s Plastic Packaging Tax will be July 2022
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